Friday, June 10, 2016

GOING TO INDY POP CON 2016

Indy Pop Con 2016 is my next convention appearance. It takes place Friday through Sunday, June 17-19, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. This will be my second guest appearance at the event in as many years. You can read about my first time at the show here, here, here and here. I am that long-winded old man you try to avoid at parties.

Pop Con is like a smorgasbord of conventions, celebrating all kinds of pop culture. Comics, cosplay, gaming, anima, movies and TV, art and music, fantasy, science fiction and the Internet in all of its geeky wonder. The show has a large and varied guest list with both an events schedule and a vendors area to match.

Not to take anything away from the other comics guests, but I am so looking forward to seeing Scott Shaw again. My old pal was supposed to be at last year’s convention but had to cancel due to personal reasons. He’ll be here this year and doing his epic “Oddball Comics Panel Live!” presentation on Saturday at 5 pm.

There are guests connected to comics in other ways or not connected to comics at all. In keeping with Pop Con’s mission of introducing members of one fandom to others, I’m hoping to meet some of these guests. They include Kevin Smith, Karen Gillan, Tara Strong, Grizz Chapman, Princess Rap Battle (a fun YouTube series), Catherine Mary Stewart, Kelli Maroney, Whitney Avalon and so many more. I’m really forward to again seeing award-winning podcaster Kevin Bachelder and the always fun Lloyd Kaufman, producer, director and actor of his own Troma Entertainment.

There are lots of panels and activities scheduled throughout Indy Pop Con. From Thursday night’s “Night of the Comet” party/screening at the Historic Artcraft Theater to some educational/interactive exhibits to cosplay workshops to gaming to panels and presentations to after hours events. There’s something called a “Geeky Spelling Bee” that was just announced and which sounds like fun. For times and locations, check the Indy Pop Con website.

Though it’s not unusual for me to be drafted to appear on panels, I’m only scheduled for one panel at the moment. It’s the “Classic Comics” panel on Sunday at 10 am. The description:

What else will I be doing at the convention? I’ll have a table in the exhibitors area. With my son Eddie along to help me out and do the heavy lifting, I’ll be selling and signing copies of the Black Lightning collection that hit the comics shops, online sellers and bookstores in April. I will also be signing other Isabella-written items at no charge. However, on the off chance that there is a line when you bring me a lot of Isabella items you want signed. I’ll do a couple signatures for you and then ask you to step to the back of the line while I sign for those fans with fewer items. I don’t want to delay fans from experiencing all the wonders of the convention. There are some items I won’t sign for various reasons, though fewer than in previous years. I’ve mellowed with age.

While I’m at my table, I’m happy to answer your questions and talk about stuff in general. Because various negotiations are still in progress and because I’m not at liberty to discuss some projects I am working on, I won’t be able to answer all your questions. But I will try to accommodate you.

Photos of or with me, like my signature, are free. That remains my pledge to the fans for 2016. However, this will likely change come 2017. I won’t have set policies for all my 2017 appearances, but I will announce the policies in advance of any event.

If you want to interview me for an article or a podcast, I’ll do my best to accommodate you. That becomes much easier for me when you e-mail me in advance and let me know what you’d like to talk about in those interviews or podcasts.

I’ll also be selling some additional things at my table. I’ll have a box of Isabella-written stuff. I’ll have a box of comics priced at a dollar each. I’ll have the rare double-sided Superman poster which I helped design for Cleveland’s International Superman Expo of 1988. I’m down to my last 20 or 30 of these posters - priced at $20 each - so, if you want one, I wouldn’t put off buying it when you see me at this or any other convention.

When I’m not at my table, I’ll be trying to see as much of the con as I can and visit with as many guests and vendors as I can. I’ll still be more or less “on duty,” so you needn’t be shy about saying “hi” to me. Just please don’t interrupt any conversation I may be having or get between me and the restroom. I’m there for you and the convention, but let’s not get crazy about it.

Indy Pop Con 2015 was an amazing event. I expect Indy Pop Con 2016 to be even better. I hope to see you there.

Come back tomorrow for yet another installment of my epic 136-part “Will I live long enough to see it all?” series on the comic books that came out in the pivotal-for-me month of July, 1963. I love the smell of nostalgia in the morning.